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By Peter DiGiovanni
pdgiovanni07@gmail.com
@PeteDLNontwitter
Week Zero is here and all but two Chester County football teams swing into opening action this week. Malvern Prep will begin its regular season schedule next Friday while West Chester Rustin has opted to play two scrimmages and nine games this season. The Golden Knights open at West Chester Henderson next Thursday.
Here is a look at all the Week Zero action:
Friday’s games
Downingtown West at Abraham Lincoln 3 p.m. >> Downingtown West has a loaded offensive roster and although the Rail Splitters won eight games last season it is hard to imagine Lincoln slowing downtime Whippets’ quarterback Quinn Henicle. The Whippets senior threw for 1,509 yards and completed 59 percent of his passes last season. West has too many weapons for the home team in this one.
Downingtown West 35, Abraham Lincoln 13
Owen J. Roberts at Conestoga 7 p.m. >> Conestoga advanced to the District 1 6A playoffs the past two seasons and Pioneers’ head coach Matt Diamond seems to have the program heading in the right direction. The Conestoga defense should be strong again this season and is led by senior linebacker Charlie Newhall. The Wildcats have just three starters on offense and four defensive starters back this season. I don’t expect a lot of points to be scored in this one.
Conestoga 14, Owen J. Roberts 13
Coatesville at Pennsbury 7 p.m. >> Coatesville will face a Pennsbury team that went 9-2 last season with the Red Raiders dealing the Falcons one of those losses. Pennsbury lost running back Garamana Mulbah and his 2,035 yards and 24 touchdowns to graduation along with three graduated offensive linemen. But the Falcons are always very physical and well coached by Galen Snyder who will run the Wing -T, which will be a challenge for the Red Raiders defense.
Coatesville 28, Pennsbury 14
Pennridge at Downingtown East 7 p.m. >> Downingtown East will face a Rams squad that won only two games last season. It was the lowest win total in 25 years for the once proud Pennridge program. The Rams will be working with their third head coach in three years in Kyle Beller and the Cougars look to hold all the cards in this one.
Downingtown East 35, Pennridge 13
Great Valley at Phoenixville 7 p.m. >> Phoenixville had a winning season last year as the Phantoms posted a 6-5 mark and they return a ton of starters from that squad, including 10 returning on offense. Great Valley has a talented senior quarterback in Braden Melia. The question for the Patriots will be if a young defense can stop the Phoenixville run game. Jack Clearfield is a major part of the Great Valley defense.
Phoenixville 21, Great Valley 14
Upper Dublin at Kennett 7 p.m. >> Upper Dublin is coming off a 14-win season that saw the Cardinals capture the District 1 5A championship. But quarterback Colin O’Sullivan and six other offensive starters graduated and it will be very hard to replace the 2,839 passing yards O’Sullivan put up last season.
Kennett will count on junior running back Ian Guyer to run the football and take over for the graduated Julian Sparacino who rushed for 1,578 yards last season. This game features two of the best head coaches in the district in the Cardinals’ Brett Stover and the Blue Demons’ Lance Frazier. Kennett does not have a lot of size up front.
Upper Dublin 28, Kennett 21
Avon Grove at Oxford 7 p.m. >> This matchup features two programs that are looking to turn things around. Oxford has had five losing seasons in the last six years and the Red Devils have had 13 straight non-winning seasons. The Red Devils went 5-5 in 2017 and 2018 under then head coach Harry O’Neill. Avon Grove will give the ball to wingback Lucas Laganelli a lot and the Red Devils seem to have the edge up front on the Hornets.
Avon Grove 24, Oxford 14
West Chester East at Manheim Central 7 p.m. >> This is a tough opener for the Vikings who will face one of the best teams in District 3 and the Panthers are a 4A power. Manheim Central averaged 47 points per game last season and they have all their skill position players back. The Vikings will feature quarterback Nate De Rosa who is being counted on to lead the Vikings’ offense.
Manheim Central 42, West Chester East 14
Upper Darby at West Chester Henderson 7 p.m. >> Warriors’ head coach Bob Brice led Henderson to a two win season last year in his first season as head coach and Brice hopes to turn around a program that has gone 12-54 the last six years. Upper Darby won five games last season and the Royals have a very good defense but the Royals offense had trouble scoring points last season, averaging just 15 points per game.
West Chester Henderson 21, Upper Darby 13
West Philadelphia at Bishop Shanahan 7 p.m. >> Bishop Shanahan is coming off a four-win season but Eagles’ head coach Paul Meyers feels his squad picked up a lot of experience last season and are ready to take a step forward this season. Look for senior Pat Gallagher to get a lot of work for the Eagles in the offensive backfield. West Philadelphia brings back six offensive starters from a three win season last year.
Bishop Shanahan 35, West Philadelphia 7
Saturday’s game
Unionville at Academy Park 1 p.m. >> Unionville went 3-7 last season for only the Longhorns second losing season in the last 20 years. But this game features the beginning of the Tim Murphy Era as he takes over the Longhorns reigns after Pat Clark’s retirement from coaching. Academy Park was a traditionally strong program in 5A until the last two seasons, which saw the Eagles win just one game last season. Academy Park is a young squad that does not have a lot of varsity experience.
Unionville 28, Academy Park 14
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